The Dream of Flight

Hi, and thank you for visiting my fundraising site. Please allow me to introduce myself.

My name is Shane. I'm in my early forties with a beautiful loving wife and five amazing kiddos who are my world. When I was a child I wanted to be a fighter pilot and fly F-16's. My grandfather was one of the engineers involved in the design of the F-16 so I had plenty of chances to talk about it and dream about it like most boys will do when they imagine what they will do as a grown up.

Unfortunately for me, my eyes decided the fighter pilot life wasn't for me. I was eleven years old when I first started wearing glasses. As I became an adult I decided that even though I could not fly a fighter jet I could still serve my country. I joined the U.S. Army as an infantryman and received an honorable discharge after my service. Service to something larger than myself prompted me to enter law enforcement where I served for another 10 years. My last job in relation to this type of service was working for the State Department in Afghanistan during 2008-2009. After a near miss I decided I would find a safer line of work and hang up the body armor and weapons. Sadly, one of my closest friends was killed in Afghanistan in September of 2012. If you would like to know more about Riley please click on this link: http://duskinandstephens.org/riley-stephens.html

Currently I am pursuing my Mechanical Engineering degree with my goal of getting involved in prosthetic design and development. I have too many friends who have lost limbs.

As a young man I had the opportunity to be introduced into the world of aviation. My best friend's dad was an aerobatic pilot and would take us flying. We spent lots of time in and around private airplanes at a small county airport. It was amazing.

As I've gotten older I have realized my decisions and experiences while serving my country and community had taken several things away from me. Those things were parts of me; things like the love of flying, hunting, being goofy, and having the ability to have hope and the tenacity to pursue a dream.

So, this is where you come in:

I have found an airplane to allow me to get back in the air and recapture that boyhood wonder of flight. You can help me give my children the chance to experience that wonder and to learn that an imagination with learning can accomplish anything.

While not the exact plane for sale, this is the aircraft I am trying to acquire.

1) Donate towards the fundraising goal.

The owner of the aircraft has offered to personal finance the asking price. (For the aircraft and options included the asking price is much less than market value of it.) The aircraft is currently located in Florida and is approximately a 32 hour round trip for transportation. If I am able, with your generosity, to acquire this aircraft I will coordinate this with friends.

2) SHARE, SHARE, SHARE

Share the link through your social media and any other means. I am fully aware some may be thinking I have some nerve to ask for others to help me buy an aircraft. However, being a disabled veteran on a fixed income with children to raise and support this may be my only chance to fly again, and in an aircraft with low operating costs.

Thank you again for visiting my fundraising page. I am hopeful for a successful effort for us. I am as excited as a little boy before Christmas just by the possibility ahead of us. I can't wait to share pictures of bringing it home to Texas. Again, thank you